Garment



No. 622,010. I Patented Mar. 28, |899.

R. E. LOWE.

GARMENT.

(Application led nu. 11, 189B.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet l.

ma ohms Parma co. moro-uhm.. wAsHmm'oN. n, r;

Patented Mar. 28, |899.

Nn. 622,0lo.

n. E. Lowa.

GARMENT.

(Application led Mar. 11, 1898.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Joh/16's Nirn TATES ROBERT E. LOWE, NEW YORK, N. Y.

PATENT Fries.

GARM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,010, dated March 28, 1899.

' Application led March 11. 1898. Serial No. 673,532. (No model.)

To LZZ whom it' may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT E. LOWE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, (Brooklym) in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in ladies garments suitable for bathing or athletic purposes, and has for its object to construct a garment which will be more graceful,

better tting, furnish better protection to the wearer, and be more readily adjusted than bathing or athletic suits now generally in use.

The well-known type of ladies bathingsuits unless made to measure usually present an ill-fitting and ungraceful appearance, and after the suits are wet the material is liable to sag and bag over the hips, making it inconvenient and disagreeable for the wearer, besides presenting a bad appearance. Bathing-suits of this type are generally constructed of two or more pieces. Usually the waist and drawers are made in one piece and the skirt separate and buttoned or otherwise attached to the waist, or the waist and skirt are made together and the drawers are separate. In bathing-suits of this character the wearer is sometimes subject to the embarrassment of having the skirt washed off in a heavy surf. Another objection to this class of bathin g-suits is the liability to misplace the parts and to receive parts `of different suits from the custodian of the bath-house. For instance, a suit may be received in which the skirt would be of suitable size, but the waist and drawers would be either too large or too small. This objection sometimes causes delay, inconvenience, and embarrassment to the bather.

It is quite common for ladies to wear corsets under Ytheir bathing or athletic suits to give them the support to which they are ac-l customed, as well as graceful appearance to their clothing; but corsets as usually Worn on the bathing-suit do not add to the iit or appearance of the suit.

To overcome these objections, I have prowhich obviates the liability of misplacing the parts thereof, and assists one in more quickly adjusting the garment.

To obviate the necessity of wearing corsets, I have provided a waist-lining or corsetwaist which gives the necessary support and shapeliness and yet allows more freedom than the usual corset. The parts are so disposed that they hang gracefully and do not bag or sag about the person.

The invention also provides for the ready adjustment of a ready-made garment of a given size to a person of nearly the same size and yet present a neat appearance.

The invention consists of a waist or body section and skirt comprising the outer garment, which is open part of the way, preferably at the front thereof, a corset-waist consisting of two sections, one end of each section fastened to the inside of the waist, at the sides thereof, or it may be extended to form a waistlining the free ends of which are adapted to meet and be detachably fastened at the front, said waist -lining or corsetwaist provided with suitable adjusting means, which means also connects the corset-waist to the waist or body section at the front, and drawers which open at the sides, securely fastened at the back to the body-section and detachably fastened in front to the waist or corset section. The drawers and corset-waist constitute the under garment; and the invention further consists in the detailed construction of parts.

I have illustraded the preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation with the outer garment open and the under garment fastened. Fig. 2 is a View with the parts open, illustrating the drawers open at the sides and all the sections of the garment fastened at the rear. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the waist connected to the garment, at the sides thereof. Fig. 4. is a detail View showing the connection of the waist, skirt, corset-waist, and drawers. Fig. 5 is a modification showing my improvements applied to athletic suits.

IOS

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in each of the figures of the drawings.

The waist or body section A and skirt B, composing the outer garment, are formed of one piece, preferably open at the front for a suitable distance, which opening can be closed by suitable fastening means, such as buttons or lacings. If found more desirable, the garment can be opened at the side.

Attached to and forming a part of the bodysection A is the waist-lining or corset-waist C. composed of a suitable lining provided with stays or a corset-front. This waist-lining or corset-waist may extend all around the inside of the body-section A and be fastened at suitable points at the back or sides thereof, or said corset-waist C may consist of two sections or flaps c c, which are fastened on the inside of the waist at the sides by sewing or lacings, asin a regular corset, or any other suitable fastening means. T-he corset-waist is buttoned or otherwise suitably fastened at the front; but it is evident that it could be detachably fastened at the side, if found desirable or more convenient. The corset-waist or waist-lining C is provided with suitable stays, locatedat the front and sides thereof, to give the support to which persons are accustomed who wear corsets and to assist in giving proper fit to the wearer.

An incision E is provided on either side of the waist-lining or corset-waist C, in which is interlaced the adjusting or draw strings e. The draw-strin gs serve to tighten the corsetwaist C at the waist-line and also secure the front of the waist or body section A, as will be seen by reference to Fig. l. These drawstrings and the incisions assist in neatly fitting garments of a given size to persons of about the same size and also allow a certain amount of freedom,whichis not possible When using a corset. This is an advantage over the usual ready-made garment.

The drawers D are preferably securely fastened at the back at d to the waist or waistband, but are detachably fastened tothe corset-section at the front in a suitable manner, as at f. The drawers preferably open at the sides g, thus giving more protection to the person when the waist A and skirt B open in front. If desired, the drawers could open in front and have a protective flap to lap over the incision and fasten to one side, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The drawers and the corset-waist C constitute the under garment.

The opening at the front of the waist or body section and drawers may be fastened in any suitable wayfor instance, by buttons.

When I make the corset-waist C extend all around the body as a lining to the waist A, the corset-waist is fastened to and forms a part of the back of the waist, extending over the shoulders. As most of the weight of the garment is thrown on the shoulders, the corset-waist C assists in taking the weight from the waist or body7 section A.

I prefer to connect the corset-waist C and drawers D to the outer garment A B at the back, about the waist-line, thus making all the sections in one garment. I partially fas ten the outer garment A B in front by means of the draw-strings e, which extend from the incisions E through a suitable shirring at the waist-line of the outer garment and tied. If desired, a suitable belt or waistband may be provided either to assist in fastening the garments or to add to its appearance. Said waistband can be sewed or otherwise fastened to the outer garment at the back. I may fasten the outer garment A B, the corsetwaist C, drawers D, and the waistband at the back in one operation. l

The corset-waist or waist-linin g C may consist of the front of a light corset, or it maybe simply a waist-lining, as shown. This may depend upon the quality, convenience, or price of the article. It is evident that this corset-waist or waist-lining may open at the sides, if found desirable, instead of the front and be fastened by buttons, hooks, clasps, or any suitable means. The corset-waist fitting snugly to the form and all the other parts secured to it distributes the weight of the garment over the shoulders and upper portion of the body instead of about the waist, giving more freedom and comfort to the wearer.

By the use of my adjusting means in the corset-waist the garment adapts itself to the person, which is quite an advantage in readymade garments of this character.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of myimprovements applied to a garment especially used for athletic purposes other than bathing. In my athletic suits I prefer to securely attach the drawers D to the corset-waist C at the front, as at 7c, by sewing or other suitable means and to detachably fasten the same at the back. The corset-waist and drawers are open at the front and adapted to be closed by suitable fastening means, as buttons. Iprovode a ap l, covering the opening at the front of the drawers and fastened to one side, as shown. Incisions m are provided at the sides of the drawers in line with the incisions E of the corset-waist. The garment will not bag in places,but will always present a neat graceful appearance.

It is evident that slight changes in the form and arrangement of parts maybe made without sacrificing the spirit of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, the athletic or bathing suit consisting of the outer waist or body section and an attached skirt, and an inner or corset waist and attached IOO IIO

drawers, all connected together, said inner or corset waist and outer waist adjustable as described, substantially as set forth.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an athletic or bathing suit consisting of the outer waist or body section and an attached skirt, an adjustable inner or corset waist and attached drawers, all connected together, and means for tightening said outer waist or body section upon the corset-waist, substantially as set forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture, the athletic or bathing suit, consisting of the outer waist or body section and the attached or con- 

